A TEENAGER accused of breaking into an 84-year-old woman's home, attacking her and taking her wedding ring has been refused bail.
Marcus Maguire (18) is also alleged to have stolen £200 from the Co Tyrone pensioner and emptied out her Post Office account.
Mr Justice Mark Horner said: "It's hard to think of a more deeply despicable crime than robbing the elderly."
Maguire of Innishmore Park in Coalisland, faces charges of robbery, theft, attempted theft and common assault over the suspected raid in the early hours of April 22.
Opposing bail, Crown lawyer Laura Ievers claimed he had targeted the elderly woman after doing work at her home months earlier.
The pensioner with restricted movement, who lives alone in Coalisland, raised the alarm two hours after her ordeal.
The court heard she was confronted by a male shouting and demanding money after being woken by glass smashing in her hallway.
"When she told him she had no money he struck her across the face, knocking her to the floor," Ms Ievers said.
The court was told over the next three days the victim's Post Office card was used to withdraw £850 from her account at branches in Armagh, Lurgan and Belfast until all her pension money had been removed.
Maguire is allegedly linked to those transactions though CCTV recordings.
Forensic tests on blood recovered from the pensioner's home also connects him to the robbery, it was claimed.
Maguire had been bailed last month, but was returned to custody for allegedly breaching his terms.
Defence counsel Michael Forde argued his client should be released again due to potential delays in a case for which he may not receive a prison sentence if ultimately convicted.
"It's been a short, sharp shock to him in custody the last number of days," he said.
Mr Justice Horner denied bail due to the risk of re-offending.
"This is an 18-year-old man... who was given a chance after what, on the face of it, appears to be a vile robbery on a defenceless old woman living on her own," he said.
